CH 6

Although Song Jinning felt that her footsteps were very quiet when she walked, Li Chengxuan still heard it. 

And even if he didn't hear the footsteps, Zhou Jing bowed and greeted her when he saw her, so it was impossible for Li Chengxuan to not know she was here. 

The only explanation is that Li Chengxuan knew that she was coming, but didn’t bother to move.

In fact, she didn't want to see him. But this is the first day since the wedding, and the both of them must pay respects to the Empress Dowager. So let’s behave for now. 

She said: "Your Majesty, please go ahead."

Li Chengxuan started moving when he heard her voice.

But still didn't look at her.

Song Jinning didn't care, and walked three steps behind him.

*

After arriving at Shoukang Palace, Gu Yu came over to help Song Jinning.

Although Song Jinning doesn’t have the original owner’s memories, she wasn’t panicked or nervous at all. 

After all, she has been away from Beijing for seven years, so naturally many things have changed. 

And she knew that Prince Nanyang had already told Empress Dowager Song in his letter that she had forgotten about the past after she had a high fever seven years ago. 

As soon as she entered the hall, she saw a person sitting on a wooden chair which Song Jinning knew was her aunt, Empress Dowager Song. 

Song Jinning knew that Empress Dowager Song is already thirty-six years old this year, but she maintained her appearance very well, and her face was smooth and fair like a twenty-year-old woman. 

If her appearance wasn't this good, then she would never have been the favorite woman of the previous emperor.

Song Jinning knelt down, saluted Empress Dowager Song and served tea.

After taking two sips of the tea that Song Jinning handed over, the Empress Dowager smiled slightly, stretched out her hand to pull Song Jinning up, and smiled: "Let Aijia take a look at you.” 

Empress Dowager Song was surprised.

It was not because of Song Jinning's outstanding appearance. After all, Song Jinning was already a beauty when she was young, so it is inevitable that she will be a beauty when she grows up. 

It was Song Jinning’s attitude. 

It is no exaggeration to say that Song Jinning was very arrogant and domineering when she was a child. When she looked at people, her chin was raised and her eyes were mocking. 

But when Song Jinning entered the hall, Empress Dowager Song noticed that she was extremely upright as she walked. When she greeted her earlier, her voice was not arrogant or rash, but was mellow and gentle like the wind. 

It seems that what her brother said in his letter was true?

Empress Dowager Song was overjoyed.

What's more, Song Jinning is the Empress she personally selected. Of course she wants Song Jinning to be good so others will praise her later. 

She happily led Song Jinning to sit down beside her and talked to her with a smile on her face.

What she asked was nothing more than asking how the family has been these years, whether her brother was still healthy, and whether he still enjoys the same food as before.

Although Song Jinning's father had been a noble since he was a child, he was not dull, drunk or lustful, but was rather a foodie. 

His greatest wish in life is to try every single food possible. It is for this reason that there are many chefs with outstanding skills in Prince Nanyang’s mansion.

Because her father was a foodie, Song Jinning became a foodie too. 

Even when Song Jinning became the Empress. In addition to all kinds of expensive dowries, Song Jinning's father also carefully selected eight cooks to go to Beijing to enter the palace with Song Jinning.

Song Jinning was shocked at that time.

Although she was the Empress and it was normal to open a small kitchen in the palace where she lived, wasn't it too extra to bring 8 cooks at once?

In the end, Song Jinning's father agreed to let her take only three cooks to Beijing.

Song Jinning revealed this matter to Empress Dowager Song. 

There are many imperial cooks in the palace, but since she brought three cooks with her, she is afraid that others will say that she is arrogant and extravagant. It's better to take advantage of the fact that Empress Dowager Song and Li Chengxuan are here now, so as to pass this matter. 

Li Chengxuan's response to this was nothing. 

The Empress Dowager is here so what can he do to Song Jinning?

And it's just three cooks. As long as the Empress Dowager is alive, let alone three cooks, even if it’s thirty, three hundred, it’s still nothing.

But the noodles Zhao Mama made last night seemed to be very good. That bowl of beef soup, it’s smell, it's appearance….

Why is he thinking about it?

Li Chengxuan's heart shuddered, and he became busy putting this out of his mind. 

Empress Dowager Song was extremely interested in what Song Jinning said.

She knows how spoiled her brother's mouth is, and how much he loves Song Jinning.

So these three cooks must be really good. 

Although the cooks in the imperial kitchen are also very good in terms of cooking, the royal family pays attention to level and style. The ingredients used in these dishes are really generous, but are worse in terms of taste. 

What's more, no matter how good the meal is, you will get tired of eating it after so many years. 

Empress Dowager Song smiled and told Song Jinning that in the future, if her three cooks made something delicious, she should give her some. 

Song Jinning naturally agreed with a smile.

While the two were talking, Cui Nong came in to inform them that Nanyang Zhangzi [1] was outside. 

Song Jinning knew it was her eldest brother Song Shao.

She was accompanied to Beijing by him and even got married in front of him. 

Empress Dowager Song hadn't seen Song Shao in seven years, and she was very worried about him. Needless to say, he told Cui Nong to let him in. 

After a while, a young man walked in from outside.

Song Shao is twenty-three years old this year, with a good-looking appearance and was full of chivalry. 

After entering the hall, he first bowed down to greet Empress Dowager Song, then Li Chengxuan, and then Song Jinning.

Song Jinning felt a little uncomfortable.

Although she wasn’t the real Song Jinning, she had been with the Song family for seven years, and she had long regarded them as her relatives.

Song Shao treated her very well, and she liked this brother very much.

It's just that in the past, her brothers and sisters were very carefree with her, but now when they see her, they pay respects and call her the Empress.

After Empress Dowager Song asked him to get up, he first relayed his father's greetings to Empress Dowager Song and Li Chengxuan, and then handed a gift list with both hands.

Song Jinning knew that these were gifts carefully selected by her parents for Empress Dowager Song and Li Chengxuan. Due to the large number of gifts, it is inconvenient to move them one by one. 

So Song Shao submitted the gift list first and let them take a look at it. If they are interested in any gift, they can ask someone to move it over.

Empress Dowager Song has been the empress dowager all these years. Is there any good thing in the world that she hasn't seen? If a regular noble presented a gift list, she would be too lazy to take a look. But this is a gift from her own brother. It is not an exaggeration to say that even if it’s just a leaf, in her eyes, it will still be more valuable than a gold necklace given by others.

So she asked Cui Nong to take the gift list and give it to her before opening it and looking at it happily.

Prince Nanyang has his own fief, so he is naturally very rich. Although his most precious jewel became the Empress, as a father he is very worried. 

The best thing he can do is to please Song Jinning’s mother-in-law and husband. If he makes them happy, then they will not treat Song Jinning badly.

Empress Dowager Song was very happy when she saw the list. After she was done, she asked Cui Nong to give the gift list to Li Chengxuan.

Although Li Chengxuan was sitting upright while looking at the list, his eyes were casual.

Song Jinning suspected that he wasn’t even reading the list at all. 

But it didn't matter, she never expected Li Chengxuan to like or even care about the Song Family.

Li Chengxuan closed the gift list, and raised his eyes to look at Song Shao.

He said indifferently: “Prince Nanyang has a heart." 

With just that sentence, Song Shao had to respectfully thank Li Chengxuan. 

Song Jinning: ...

She feels a bit heartbroken .

Empress Dowager Song asked Song Shao to sit down, then Song Shao respectfully responded to Empress Dowager Song’s various questions.

It was okay at the beginning, but after a while, Song Jinning became a little absent-minded.

She was a very lazy person and her back hurts from sitting upright.

Because of Empress Dowager Song, she had to pretend to be a dignified lady, sitting on a chair with her head up and her back straight. 

After Empress Dowager Song was finally done talking and left the hall to change her clothes, she immediately tilted her body to lean lazily on the back of the chair.

Suddenly she saw Li Chengxuan staring at her, with surprise in his eyes. 

Footnotes:

1) 长子 (zhángzǐ): Lit. Chief Son. It refers to the heir of a Junwang (Second Rank Prince). SJN's father's full title is actually Nanyang Junwang, but i only refer to him as Nanyang Wang (Prince).